Combination-packing



Patented Nov. 30, 1920.

INVENTOR M rifm/ 14 TTQRNEY UNITED STA ES.

' ALLEN Annnnw SMITH,;.OF GREAT NOTCH, new JERSEY.

CQMIBINATION-PACKING.

( Specification of Letter Patent. Patented N0 30; 1920 i Application filed March 24, 1916.. Serial No. 86,329. I

To all u; 7mm it may concern.

Belt known that I, ALLEN'ANDREW SMITH,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident super-heated or high pressure steam or. am-

monia or other vapors or gases are to be con fined within the compression cylinder or engine with which the packing is used.

It has been found that what is commonly termed soft packing does not operate satisfactorily in high pressure work or with fugitive gases or vapors for the reason that it is not possible to provide a sufiiciently tightvjoint or close impingement of'a soft packing upon the piston rod and thereforev leaks will occur. I

In addition to this, when soft packing wears and becomes weakened it is apt to blow out when subjected to high pressure.

I have provided a packing which is a combination of a metallic and soft packing, the metallic packing receiving the direct pressure and producing the joint and wearing surfaces for the rod and the soft packing producing the resiliency necessary in all highly efficient packings. V p i A combination soft and metallic packing will be describedas the specification pic.

grosses-and its operation and advantages will be fully set forth.

The following is what I consider a good means of carrying out my invention and the accompanying drawings are .to be considered in pursuingthe specification.

In the drawings Figure l is a longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2 -2 in Fig. 1.

Similar reference numerals indicate like parts in all of the figures where theyappear.

At 1, in each of the figures, I have indicated a piston rod or other movable member which enters a cylinder, and at 2, the end of a cylinder is indicated, through which the rod 1, passes. The cylinder end 2, is provided with a projection 3, which is to receive the stufling box or gland.

Upon the rod 1, and adjacent to the projection 3, I arrange a plurality of metallic disks t and 5, and between these disks and received in recesses therein, are springs 6, which urge the disks 4: and 5 away from each other.

I arrange a metallic thimble or cylindrica'l member Z, upon the projection 3, and this member, PI'OJGCtSOUtWiLld to a desir able extent receiving in its opened end a movable compression ring 8. Between the ring 8, and the cylinder end 2, I provide a pluralityof screw-threaded rods9, 10, 11,

and 112, by means of which the compression NT OFFICE-V ring 8 is moved toward or away from the cylinder end 2.;

The soft "or fibrous portion of my packing consists of a plurality of rings pro duced from any suitable soft packing. The cross-section ofthese rings may be varied atwill provided that they are soarranged and positionedto accomplish certain purposes that will be later described.

In 1, I have shown a plurality of soft packing rings at 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, and

L 18, and it will be noted that although the ex ternal diameter of each of these ringsisin each instance the same, the internal diameter and cross-sectional area varies as each ring has the internal surface cut on a taper and the taper 1s uniform throughout the entire series. of rings.

T he metallic packing membersare shown interior to the soft packing members and are indicated at 19,20, 21,22, 23 and 2a, and it willbe notedthat although the interior diameter of each of these rings is the same the external surface is turned on a taper and that the entire series produces a sectional metallic'sleeve having an outer uniform taper, a taper which coincides with the internal taper of the soft packing rings.

The metallic rings bear upon the rod 1, j

and are urged'into constant close impingement and fair bearing with the rod 1, by the movementor compression of the soft pack ing members.

Each metallic ring of parts as shown in Fig. 2, where; three parts are set forth.

In producing the metallic packing rings I will probably cast them independently of each other and I prefer that a thin copper wire 25, should be cast in each metallic ring.

. This wire will serve to retain the sections of a ring in position, while the packing is being assembledupon the rod or within the stuffing box, but it will be understood thatsthe wire 25, is a very fine wire and that during is split into a plurality v the molding or casting process this wire will be efiiciently annealed so that it will offer littleor no resistance to the independent movement of each section of thering when compression of the soft packing urges the rings inward or toward each other to cause them to firmly impinge upon the rod 1.

It will of course be understood that the internal diameter 01" each of the metallic rings should be equal to the diameter of the rod. 1, with which they are to operate.

One of the important functions and greatest advantages of my invention resides movements of the rod and will prevent the breaking or checking so apt to occur in metallic packings. a A

It will be noted that the wedge-shaped or tapered construction of this invention is such that it is particularly adapted for use in connection with fluid compressors or the like, as the drag of the harder packing on the piston rod during the in-stroke will tend to disengage the inclined faces of the pacls ings so that the segments of the inner packing will be free to move radially to a slight degree so that the opening through the segments will expandand permit the freedom or movement of the rod. Obviously, when used in this connection, there is little or no pressure in the cylinder, so that the packing may loosen slightly without affecting the eliiciency of the compressor, 'On the outstrolre oztthe piston, however, it will be obvious that the pressure is created in the cylinder, and the drag of the inner packing and the piston rod coupled with the power of the springs, will drive the inner packing into the tapered bore of the outer packing and cause the segments to'bear against the rod, thereby preventing the escape of the compressed fluid.

It will be noted that although the metallic packing members are formed as a plurality of rings and the fibrous packing members are also formed as a plurality of: rings, the junctions between the metallic rings and soft packing rings are out of alinement with each other, that is the junction between metallic rings is at about midwidth an adjacent section of soft packing.

tallic packing rings are split, the split line in a metallic ring should be arranged at an angle to the split line of any adjacent rin The split line of the ring shown in Fig. 3, is indicated at 25, the split line ot'the next adjacent ring is indicated by the dotted lines 26'. its the rings bear one upon the other steam or gas cannot escape through the splits in the several rin s.

It will of course be understood that my packing may be adapted to any diameter or length of stuliing box and that no change will be required in the construction of the gland or box and it will be further understood that parts may be used without the whole and that modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the .principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention.

Having carefully and fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with an apertured head, a piston rod slidable through the aperture in the head and a packin gland surrounding the aperture, of a relatively soft packing element having a tapered bore extending longitudinally therethrough, relatively hard frusto conical packing element on the piston rod, said relatively hard )acking element being adapted to fit the tapered bore, and being divided radially into a plurality of independent segments and reent means disposed at the larger end of harder packing element to force the same nto the tapered bore of the softer packing element whereby the drag of the piston rod on the harder packing element when said rod is traveling in one direction will tend to tree said rod and compensate for any inaccuracies therein and when traveling in the opposite direction to cause the'harder packing element to more firmly contact with the softer packing element.

2. Apacking element comprising a plurality of rings arranged in abutting relation, each ring being formed of a plurality sili th e i of radially separable segments and wires wholly embedded in the segments to hold the same in circular formation during the assembly and adapted to be readily distorted after assembly to permi the segments to move independently in a radial direction. Signed New York city March 6, 1916.

' ALLEN ANDRElV SMITH. 

